HARTFORD, CT — A proposed pilot court program in New Haven could become a model for the rest of the state.

On July 8, Chief Justice Raheem Mullins announced the formation of a task force to develop a behavioral health court in New Haven. That program is expected to expand statewide, according to a statement from the Judicial Branch. 

“It is clear to anyone in the criminal court system that individuals with behavioral health issues often have difficulty in interactions leading to their arrest,” Mullins said. “These individuals – who come from all walks of life — might initially come to court for minor incidents; however, without proper intervention, their conduct can spiral out of control, especially if they choose to self-medicate with alcohol or illegal drugs.”

The program’s goal is to “triage” those individuals and get them help before they cause serious harm to themselves or others, he said.

Mullins and Chief Court Administrator Joan Alexander will serve as the task force’s co-chairs; former Supreme Court Associate Justice Joette Katz and Superior Court Judge Dan Klau will serve as vice-chairs. The first meeting of the task force, which includes more than two dozen members, is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Alexander said the task force would explore ways to assist both adults and youths with mental health issues.

“The task force members include the chief administrative judge of juvenile matters, the DCF commissioner, the superintendent of New Haven public schools, and Gary Roberge, executive director of the Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division — all of whom bring their expertise in working with at-risk juveniles,” she said.

With the task force’s first meeting still weeks away, she said it was difficult to know what the group’s recommendations would be.

“But we are open to solutions that benefit the entire community,” she said.

The task force’s members represent multiple perspectives and areas of expertise. The task force also will seek out those who have lived through behavioral health issues themselves to serve on subcommittees. 

“It’s important to hear from the experts on what needs to occur,” Mullins said. “But success will elude us if we exclude the voices of those in all communities, urban or suburban, whose own lives have been impacted.”

Klau, whose daughter, Miri, struggled with addiction and mental illness and died in 2021 of a fentanyl overdose at age 26. He said he has witnessed firsthand the challenges that the criminal justice system faced when people like Miri were arrested.

“Without question, Miri would have benefited from a behavioral health court,” he said.

Other members of the task force include medical doctors, mental health professionals, New Haven city and school officials and representatives from all areas of the criminal justice system and representatives from the state Departments of Children and Families and Mental Health and Addiction Services.

The task force members are:

• Chairs: Chief Justice Raheem Mullins and Justice Joan Alexander
• Vice Chairs: Judge Daniel Klau and Justice Joette Katz
• State Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven
• New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker
• Judge Eugene Calistro Jr. 
• Judge Lubbie Harper
• Judge Tammy Nguyen- O’Dowd
• Judge Robin Pavia
• Judge Michael Wu
• Kellyann Day, MSW, CEO, Newreach
• Charles Dike, CEO, The Connecticut Mental Health Center
• Marcin Domitrz, warden, New Haven Correctional Center
• New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr.
• Tais Ericson, executive director, Superior Court Operations Division
• Kathy Flaherty, executive director, Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc.
• Ilaria Filippi, executive director, Clifford Beers Community Care Center
• Alice M. Forrester, parent representative
• Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin
• Susan I. Hamilton, interim commissioner, Department of Children and Families
• Nancy Navarretta, commissioner, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
• Madeline Negrón, superintendent, New Haven Public Schools
• Jim Pettinelli, executive director, Liberty Community Services
• Gary Roberge, executive director, Court Support Services Division, Connecticut Judicial Branch 
• Bevin Salmon, deputy chief public defender 
• Deborah Sullivan, Office of the Chief Public Defender
• Ece Tek, chief medical officer of mental health and addiction services, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center
• Police Chief David Zannelli, New Haven

Article originally published by Donald Eng on CTNewsJunkies.